8.19.2010

While I prefer Pinkberry over other franchises when it comes to getting a frozen yogurt fix, the blatant pseudo health claim plastered on the window of this store is making me think twice about giving them my money.

Whether the yogurt tasteslike it's overladen with sugar is subjective. Everyone's taste preferences are different, and some of us have higher tolerance for sweets. But nutritionally speaking, frozen yogurt from Pinkberry or any other place that has spawned due to this craze is still very sugary.

In a small yogurt, you can expect to find 30 grams of sugar. That's roughly 7 teaspoons of the the white stuff.* For a medium and large, there are 46 grams (11.5 teaspoons) and a whopping 76 grams (19 teaspoons) of sugar, respectively. And this is before any toppings are added, most of which are fairly sugary. To put these numbers into perspective, a regular can of cola has about 40 grams of sugar- 6 grams less than that of a medium yogurt. So much for beingnot overladen with sugar.

The tartness in these frozen yogurt make them seemingly less sweet. If we're aiming for the benefits of probiotics or "good bacteria", we're better off just eating store-bought plain yogurt. But one (and only) reason that Pinkberry deserves applause is for the absence of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in their yogurts. This franchise has remained one of the few that keeps HFCS out of the ingredients.

Visit Pinkberry's website for more nutrition info about your favorite flavor of frozen yogurt.
The above sugar content was calculated with the nutrition facts for the original flavor. * 4 grams of sugar = 1 teaspoon

@ actor's diet: I'll probably still get my fro-yo there but definitely with a side of skepticism from now on. @ Jme: "More bang for our buck" is the rule that practically governs our society. I think Pinkberry exercises some sort portion control... so it's less dangerous than those self-serve places?

So high fructose corn syrup is much worse than refined sugar? I thought one was about as bad as the other...so what's the difference. Personally I have gotten pretty accustomed to the non sugar sweetners which may have their own inherent problems.

@ Terry: Refined sugar comes in many forms, and HFCS is one of them. In my opinion, it's not much worse than cane sugar, but you can find HFCS in many food products including ketchup, breads, salad dressings, etc. Also, I don't agree with the practice of growing corn that Americans can't consume but can become HCFS and animal feed.

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About Elizabeth

Registered dietitian with a soft spot for good chocolate chip cookies.
A food fiend who lives to eat and cook.
A supporter of all things green and sustainable.
Healthfulness and scrumptiousness can, and should, coexist on the same plate. To eat sensibly is to eat sustainably!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of the author's employer.